Jolanda Jones taking on Garnet Coleman just a rumor

The rumor that former City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones was gearing up for a challenge to state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, turns out to be nothing more than a rumor.

Coleman said that he’d heard the rumor enough times that he called Jones himself. He said Jones told him that she had only been thinking about running for the seat when Coleman left. Coleman was elected District 147 representative in 1991.

Jones could not be reached for comment. Political consultant Keith Wade also confirmed that she will not run against Coleman and that she never even gave it a thought.

Good thing for Wade. The race would have pitted Jones, for whom he has served as a political adviser for years, against Coleman, his cousin.

The city’s term limits law provides for three two-year terms on council. There is more than one way back to council for Jones without having to go through an incumbent. Jones lives in District D, where Councilwoman Wanda Adams (who is currently challenging State Rep. Alma Allen in the Democratic primary for the District 131 seat) will be termed out next year. At-Large Position 3 Councilwoman Melissa Noriega is termed out in 2013 as well.

Update: It appears that Jones is ineligible to run again. See this updated post.